Seychelles Geography

Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) east of Kenya. The nation is an archipelago of 155 tropical islands with two distinct collections of islands: granite and coral. The coral islands are flat and have no fresh water.

The early human history of Seychelles saw the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granite islands, felling of coastal and mid-level forests and extinction of a few species.

The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, is abundant. More than 1000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of spear guns and dynamite for fishing was banned through efforts of local conservationists in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of snorkelers and divers. Coral bleaching has damaged many reefs, but some reefs are showing healthy recovery. The reefs comprise a vast selection of soft corals and hard corals alike. The taking of marine turtles was completely stopped in 1994, turtle populations are now recovering on several protected islands.

Seychelles is hot and humid, with an average yearly temperature of 84F (29C), and average sea temperature rarely dropping below 81F (27C). However, the heat is usually mitigated by refreshing sea breezes, especially by the beaches. The cooler season in Seychelles is during the southeast monsoon season (late May to September) and the warmer season is during northwest monsoon (March to May). Most of the islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so high winds are rare.

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